Golf club

ABSTRACT

A golf club comprising a head with a striking face by which a golf ball is hit, comprising at least one leaf spring laminated on a rear surface of the striking face and applying elastic force to the golf ball which is hit by the striking face. With this configuration, the present invention provides a golf club increasing back spin and carrying distance of a golf ball.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2004-41658, filed on Jun. 8, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a golf club, and more particularly, to a golf club elastically hitting a golf ball to increase carrying distance of the golf ball.

2. Description of the Related Art

A wood-type golf club head and a cavity-back iron-type golf club head are most general types of golf club heads. Especially, the wood-type golf club head (hereinafter, wood head) is used for a long shot. The wood head comprises a striking face by which a golf ball is struck. The striking face of the wood head is inclined at an angle of a loft angle which is almost perpendicular, and a center of gravity is provided in a central portion of the striking face.

In the course of swing, the wood head rotates and hits the golf ball. Herein, if the golf ball is not hit by the exact center of gravity, which is a sweet spot of the striking portion, the golf ball flies outside or in, along an undesired trajectory causing a hook or slice.

Especially, a majority of players using the wood-type golf club head try to enhance directivity and carrying distance of the golf ball in consideration of directivity and stability of the wood head when the golf ball is struck with the striking portion of the wood head.

Therefore, the present invention provides a golf club comprising a head with an elastic portion to enhance the carrying distance of the golf ball by applying elastic force to the golf ball when it is hit by the elastic portion of the head, and at the same time to increase impact time resulting in increase of back spin of the golf ball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a golf club increasing back spin and carrying distance of a golf ball.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention are also achieved by providing a golf club comprising a head with a striking face by which a golf ball is hit, further comprising at least one leaf spring laminated on a rear surface of the striking face and applying elastic force to the golf ball when it is hit by the striking face.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the leap springs are arranged concentrically to a center of gravity of the striking face, and the thickness of the leaf spring lamination becomes thinner as goes farther from the center of the gravity of the striking face.

According to still the embodiment of the present invention, the leaf springs are arranged symmetrically to a vertical center line of the striking face, and the thickness of the leaf spring lamination becomes thinner as goes farther from the center of the gravity of the striking face.

According to still the embodiment of the present invention, the leaf springs are arranged symmetrically to a horizontal center line of the striking face, and spaced at a given interval.

According to still the embodiment of the present invention, the golf club further comprises a slit penetratingly provided on a flat surface of the striking face.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and/or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a golf club according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1, taken along the line II-II;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of a striking face in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of a striking face of a golf club according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of FIG. 4, taken along the line V-V;

FIG. 6 is a rear view of a striking face of a golf club according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a rear view of a striking face of a golf club according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a rear view of a striking face of a golf club according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a golf club according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal perspective view of a head in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a rear view of a strike portion in FIG. 1. As shown therein, a golf club 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a long and thin shaft 11; a head provided in a first end of the shaft 11 and hitting a golf ball; and a grip 13 provided in a second end of the shaft 11 to be held by a player.

The head 20 comprises a striking face 21 striking the golf ball thereby; and a rear portion 31 forming a buffering space 27 inside the striking face 21 and the rear portion which are integrally connected each other, and coupled to a rear side 21 a of the striking face 21. The striking face 21 and the rear portion 31 of the head have a given thickness.

The striking face 21 is of a flat type, and has a loft angle at a given degree. Further, the striking face 21 comprises a center of gravity 25 located on a sweet spot where it is most effective to hit the golf ball. Thus, if the golf ball is struck by the sweet spot of the striking face 23 of the head 20 upon swing of the wood head, impact energy is transferred from the head 20 to the golf ball during impact with the golf ball so that the golf ball travels along a desired trajectory.

The rear portion 31 comprises a rear face 33, an upper face 35, a lower face, a toe 39 and a hill 41 which form lateral sides of the head 21. Each surface of the rear portion 31 is smoothly curved. Thus, each corner formed by conjunction of each of the surfaces becomes round. In the upper face 35 in the vicinity of the hill 41, a hosel 43 is provided to which a first end of the shaft 11 is coupled. The hosel 43 comprises an accommodating hole (not shown) in which the first end of the shaft 11 is accommodated, and is obliqued upwardly from the upper face 35.

Meanwhile, in the rear portion 21 a of the striking face 21 of the golf club according to the first embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of leaf springs 50 is laminated to apply elastic force to the golf ball when it is hit by the striking face 21 in the course of swing.

The plurality of leaf springs 50 is shaped like a flat oval, and each of the leaf springs 50 is different in diameter. The plurality of leaf springs 50 is arranged concentrically to the gravity point 25 of the striking face 21, and the thickness of the leaf spring 50 lamination is gradually thinner as goes farther from the gravity point 25 of the striking face 21.

With the above configuration, when the player swings the golf club, the head 20 is rotated and hits the golf ball. At this moment, rotation force generated from the head 20 and elastic force which is restored after the plurality of leaf springs 50 laminated on the rear face 21 a of the striking face 21 is elastically transformed due to impact with the golf ball are transferred to the golf ball and thereby to enhance carrying distance of the golf ball, and at the same time, impact time of the golf ball is increased resulting in increase of back spin of the golf ball.

Hereinafter, a golf club comprising a leaf spring 50 laminated on a rear portion 21 a of a striking face 21 will be described according to various embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a striking face of a golf club according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view of FIG. 4, taken along the line V-V. As shown therein, unlike the first embodiment, a golf club 10 a according to the second embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of slits 55 penetratingly provided on a flat surface of the striking face 21 to communicate with a buffer space. The plurality of slits 55 are provided along an edge of an outer leaf spring 50, and each of the plurality of slits 55 is spaced at a given interval.

Thus, the second embodiment meets the purpose of the present invention, which is to prevent vibration from being entirely transferred to the head 20, the vibration being transformed from impact force generated when the golf ball is hit by the striking face 21. Also, a portion in which the plurality of slits 55 is formed becomes flexible enough to be bent, and thereby extending the sweet spot area.

Meanwhile, unlike the foregoing embodiments, a golf club lob according to a third embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of leaf springs 50 which is shaped like a flat oval may be provided in a rear portion 21 a of a striking face 21, as shown in FIG. 6.

Each of the plurality of leaf springs 50 is different in size, and laminated concentrically to a center of gravity 25 of the striking face 21. Thickness of the leaf spring 50 becomes thinner as the leaf spring 50 is laminated farther from the center of gravity 25 of the striking face 21.

Further, a pair of silts 55 is penetratingly provided on a flat surface of an outer leaf spring 50 to communicate with a buffering space 27, and each of the slits 55 is respectively extended along an upper edge and a lower edge of the flat surface of the outer leaf spring 50. Herein, the pair of slit 55 is selectively provided.

FIG. 7 illustrates a rear portion of a striking face of a golf club according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown therein, unlike the foregoing embodiments, a golf club 10 c according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of leaf springs 50 which is shaped like a flat square and laminated on a rear portion 21 a of the striking face 21.

Each of the plurality of leaf springs 50 is of the same square type with the same height but different in width. Each of the plurality of leaf springs 50 is laminated symmetrically to a vertical center line H-H of the striking face 21, and the thickness of the leaf spring 50 becomes thinner as the lamination of the leaf springs 50 goes farther from the vertical center line H-H of the striking face 21.

Further, a pair of silts 55 is penetratingly provided on a flat surface of an outer leaf spring 50 to communicate with a buffering space 27, and each of the slits 55 is respectively extended along an upper edge and a lower edge of the flat surface of the outer leaf spring 50. Herein, the pair of slits 55 is selectively provided.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a striking face of a golf club according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Like the fourth embodiment, the golf club 10 d according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of leaf springs 50 is arranged symmetrically to a vertical center line H-H of the striking face 21 as described in the fourth embodiment, but the lamination of the leaf springs 50 is plurally provided in a striking face 21. Each of the lamination of the leaf springs 55 is symmetrically arranged centering a horizontal center line V-V of the striking face 21, and spaced at a given interval.

Further, a pair of silts 55 is penetratingly provided on a flat surface of an outer leaf spring 50 to communicate with a buffering space 27, and each of the slits 55 is respectively extended along an upper edge and a lower edge of the flat surface of the outer leaf spring 50. Herein, the pair of slit 55 is selectively provided.

As described, the head of the striking face according to the foregoing embodiments of the present invention comprises at least one leaf spring at a rear portion thereof to add elasticity when the golf ball is hit by the strike face, and thus elastic force from the leaf spring along with rotational force from the head are transferred to the golf ball and thereby to enhance the carrying distance of golf ball. At the same time, impact time is increased resulting in increase of back spin of the golf ball.

Meanwhile, the plurality of leaf springs is provided in the rear surface of the striking face of the head according to the foregoing embodiments of the present invention, a single leaf spring may be provided in the rear surface of the striking face of the head.

Further, the golf club described in the foregoing embodiments of the present invention is a wood-type golf club, but it may be a back-cavity iron-type golf club.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A golf club comprising a head with a striking face by which a golf ball is hit, further comprising at least one leaf spring laminated on a rear surface of the striking face and applying elastic force to the golf ball which is hit by the striking face.
 2. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the leap springs are arranged concentrically to a center of gravity of the striking face, and the thickness of the leaf spring lamination becomes thinner as goes farther from the center of the gravity of the striking face.
 3. The golf club according to claim 1, wherein the leaf springs are arranged symmetrically to a vertical center line of the striking face, and the thickness of the leaf spring lamination becomes thinner as goes farther from the center of the gravity of the striking face.
 4. The golf club according to claim 3, wherein the leaf springs are arranged symmetrically to a horizontal center line of the striking face, and spaced at a given interval.
 5. The golf club according to claim 1, further comprising a slit penetratingly provided on a flat surface of the striking face.
 6. The golf club according to claim 2, further comprising a slit penetratingly provided on a flat surface of the striking face.
 7. The golf club according to claim 3, further comprising a slit penetratingly provided on a flat surface of the striking face.
 8. The golf club according to claim 4, further comprising a slit penetratingly provided on a flat surface of the striking face. 